The FINANCIAL — Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said that prices of natural gas will not be raised for the population before the end of 2009.
Tymoshenko was addressing residents of the village of Zhuraky (Bohorodchany district of the Ivano-Frankivsk region).
"Do not believe claims that gas prices for people will be raised. I promise you that the price of gas will not increase by one kopeck under any circumstances," Tymoshenko said.
Asked about the method of payment of heating utilities' debts for natural gas, Tymoshenko stressed that this was a matter for local self-government agencies and not the Cabinet of Ministers.
According to Tymoshenko, the task of the government is to preserve gas prices for heating utilities.
"After that, they are obliged to make settlements," Tymoshenko said.
Tymoshenko also said that the issue of settlement for natural gas would also be considered on October 5 during a telephone conference with regional governors and city mayors on the issue of starting the heating season.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the National Electricity Regulation Commission was unable to raise gas prices for the population by 20% on September 1 because of court bans and disagreement with trade unions. It was also unable to raise the maximum gas prices for heating utilities by 20% on October 1.
The commission announced on July 24 that it had decided to raise the maximum gas prices for heating utilities by 20% on October 1, but it did not raise the maximum gas prices on October 1 because of a court ban.
The Presidential Secretariat has expressed doubt that the International Monetary Fund will disburse the fourth tranche of its Standby loan to Ukraine if gas prices for the population and heating utilities are not raised as demanded by the International Monetary Fund.
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